To Love Somebody (Bee Gees song)

"To Love Somebody"
Single by the Bee Gees
from the album Bee Gees' 1st
B-side"Close Another Door"
Released30 June 1967
RecordedApril 1967
Genre
Length3:02
Label
Songwriters
Producers
The Bee Gees UK singles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941"
(1967)		 "To Love Somebody"
(1967)		 "Massachusetts"
(1967)
The Bee Gees US singles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941"
(1967)		 "To Love Somebody"
(1967)		 "Holiday"
(1967)
Alternative cover
Japanese cover of "To Love Somebody"
Music video
"To Love Somebody" on YouTube

"To Love Somebody" is a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb. Produced by Robert Stigwood, it was the second single released by the Bee Gees from their international debut album, Bee Gees 1st, in 1967.[5] The single reached No. 17 in the United States and No. 41 in the United Kingdom. The song's B-side was "Close Another Door".[6] The single was reissued in 1980 on RSO Records with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as its flipside. The song ranked at number 94 on NME magazine's "100 Best Tracks of the Sixties".[7] The entry was a minor hit in France but reached the top 10 in Canada.

In a 2017 interview with Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Barry was asked: "Of all the songs that you've ever written, which song would you choose?" Barry said that "To Love Somebody" was the song that he'd choose as it has "a clear, emotional message".[8] The song has been recorded by many other artists, most prominently by Michael Bolton, Narvel Felts, the Sweet Inspirations, Nina Simone and Jimmy Somerville.

Origins and lyrics

At the request of Robert Stigwood, the band's manager, Barry and Robin Gibb wrote "To Love Somebody", a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals, for Otis Redding.[9] Redding came to see Barry at the Plaza in New York City one night. Robin claimed that "Otis Redding said he loved our material and would Barry write him a song".[10]

The Bee Gees recorded "To Love Somebody" at IBC Studios, London with "Gilbert Green" and "End of My Song" in April 1967 and released it as a single in mid-June. Redding died in a plane crash later that year, before having a chance to record the song.

Robin said, "Everyone told us what a great record they thought it was, Other groups all raved about it but for some reason people in Britain just did not seem to like it." Barry said, "I think the reason it didn't do well here was because it's a soul number, Americans loved it, but it just wasn't right for this country".[11]

Barry Gibb explained in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine:

It was for Robert (Stigwood). I say that unabashedly. He asked me to write a song for him, personally. It was written in New York and played to Otis but, personally, it was for Robert. He meant a great deal to me. I don't think it was a homosexual affection but a tremendous admiration for this man's abilities and gifts.[12]

Release and reception

"To Love Somebody" was first released in Britain on 30 June 1967.[13] Billboard described the single as a "smooth, easy beat ballad" that "should put them right back up there at the top of the Hot 100."[14] Record World said that it "is well written; the group, the Gee Bees [sic], sing it well."[15]

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23] Platinum 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Jimmy Somerville version

"To Love Somebody"
Single by Jimmy Somerville
from the album The Singles Collection 1984/1990
B-side"Rain"
Released22 October 1990 (1990-10-22)[25]
Length4:16
LabelLondon
Songwriters
ProducerStephen Hague
Jimmy Somerville singles chronology
"Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)"
(1990)		 "To Love Somebody"
(1990)		 "Run from Love"
(1991)

In 1990, Jimmy Somerville covered "To Love Somebody" on his greatest hits album The Singles Collection 1984/1990, on which it appears as the fourth track. It was released as a single on 22 October 1990 and became an worldwide hit, peaking inside the top ten in at least seven territories. In the UK, it entered the chart at number 44 on 3 November, reached a peak of number eight three weeks later and charted for 11 weeks. It also reached the top five in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Luxembourg and Austria, was a top-ten hit in Ireland and the Flanders region of Belgium, and a top-20 hit in Italy, France and Germany. On the pan-European Hot 100 Singles chart, it reached number 27 in its third week.

Track listings

  • 7" single
  1. "To Love Somebody" – 4:16
  2. "Rain (Pascal Gabriel remix) – 6:35
  • CD maxi
  1. "To Love Somebody" (7" version) – 4:06
  2. "Rain" – 6:35
  3. "Why?" (remix) – 8:13

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990–1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 146
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27]5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[28]7
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[29] 27
Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[30] 3
France (SNEP)[31]15
Germany (GfK)[32]20
Ireland (IRMA)[33]7
Italy (Musica e dischi)[34] 12
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[35] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36]6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37]4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38]5
UK Singles (Official Charts)[39]8

Year-end charts

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[40] 25
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[41] 66
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)[42] 61
Europe (EHR Top 100)[43] 47
Germany (Media Control)[44] 38
Italy (Musica e dischi)[45] 68
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[46] 48
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[47] 80

Michael Bolton version

"To Love Somebody"
Single by Michael Bolton
from the album Timeless: The Classics
B-side"Now That I Found You"
ReleasedSeptember 1992 (1992-09)
Length4:08
LabelColumbia
Songwriters
Producers
Michael Bolton singles chronology
"Steel Bars"
(1992)		 "To Love Somebody"
(1992)		 "Drift Away"
(1992)
Music video
"To Love Somebody" on YouTube

American singer Michael Bolton covered and released "To Love Somebody" as a single in September 1992, by Columbia Records, from his 1992 album Timeless: The Classics. His version was produced by him with David Foster and reached number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his fourth single to peak at number two in Canada, his highest position in that country. It is also his highest-charting single in France, where it reached number seven.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[48]39
Canada Retail Singles (The Record)[49] 5
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[50]2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[51]1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[52] 31
France (SNEP)[53]7
Germany (GfK)[54]61
Ireland (IRMA)[55]13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[56]36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[57]35
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[58]32
UK Singles (Official Charts)[59]16
UK Airplay (Music Week)[60] 18
US Billboard Hot 100[61]11
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[62]1
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[63]6
US Rhythmic Airplay (Billboard)[64]31

Year-end charts

Chart (1992) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[65] 55
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[66] 26
Chart (1993) Position
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[67] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[68] 83
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[69] 33
US Cash Box Top 100[70] 49

Other cover versions

References

  1. ↑ Sullivan, Steve (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. Scarecrow Press. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-8108-8296-6.
  2. ↑ Stanley, Bob (2014). Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-393-24270-6.
  3. ↑ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1977". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute – A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 341–342. ISBN 9781493064601.
  4. ↑ Boone, Brian (17 June 2026). "The 5 Best Bee Gees Songs That Aren't Stayin' Alive Or How Deep Is Your Love". Grunge. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Gilliland, John. "Show 49 – The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 6]". Digital Library. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  6. ↑ Discogs.com (1967). "Bee Gees – To Love Somebody (original issue)". Discogs.
  7. ↑ "100 Best Songs of the 1960s". NME. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Piers Morgan's Life Stories: Barry Gibb YouTube – Interview
  9. ↑ Melinda Bilyeu, Hector Cook, Andrew Môn Hughes (2004). The Bee Gees: Tales of the Brothers Gibb Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-1-84449-057-8, p. 134.
  10. ↑ David N. Meyer (9 July 2013). The Bee Gees: The Biography. Hachette Books. ISBN 9780306821578. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Hughes, Andrew (2009). Bee Gees: Tales Of The Brothers Gibb. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  12. ↑ Songfacts.com. "To Love Somebody – Bee Gees".
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 8 July 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "Sleepers of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 8 July 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts – part 1" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Bee Gees – To Love Somebody". Dutch Charts. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
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  25. ↑ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 October 1990. p. 37. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "To Love Somebody". Bubbling Down Under. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. #146
  27. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  29. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 48. 1 December 1990. p. IV-V. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  30. ↑ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 50. 15 December 1990. p. III. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  31. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  32. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  33. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  34. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 20 May 2026. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Jimmy Somerville" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  35. ↑ "Radio Luxembourg Singles". umdmusic.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  36. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Jimmy Somerville" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  37. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  38. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  39. ↑ "Jimmy Somerville Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  40. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1991" (in German). Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  41. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  42. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 21. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 20 May 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  43. ↑ "European Hit Radio of 1991 – EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 20 May 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  44. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  45. ↑ Racca, Guido. "1991". musica e dischi Top 100 Year-End 1960 - 2018 (in Italian). pp. 89–92. ISBN 9781980329121.
  46. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1991" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  47. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  48. ↑ "Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  49. ↑ "Hits of the World: Canada" (PDF). Billboard. 23 January 1993. p. 52. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  50. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 1840". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  51. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Image 1853". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  52. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 47. 21 November 1992. p. 23. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  53. ↑ "Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  54. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  55. ↑ "To Love Somebody | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  56. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  57. ↑ "Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  58. ↑ "Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  59. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 14/11/1992 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  60. ↑ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 21 November 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  61. ↑ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  62. ↑ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  63. ↑ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  64. ↑ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Rhythmic Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  65. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. 19 December 1992. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  66. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Retrieved 15 April 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  67. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 15 April 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
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  72. ↑ "Nina Simone". The Official Charts Company.
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  75. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 10 February 1968. p. 30. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  76. ↑ Drake, Howard (2020). "The Sweet Inspirations Albums (Top Albums)". Music VF, US & UK hits charts. VF Entertainment. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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  78. ↑ "RPM Country Tracks". RPM. 3 March 1990. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
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  80. ↑ chris@soultracks.com (21 January 2026). "First Listen: The legendary Al Green returns with new album and single". SoulTracks. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
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